Three Hazelnuts For Sarah
by ColieMacKenzie
Summary: A wintry Harm and Sarah fairytale. Our favorite characters in a different time and place. No JAG, no lawyers, no flying... It doesn't get any more AU than this! EPILOGUE added a little link to JAG!
1. Chapter 1

**Three Hazelnuts for Sarah - A Harm and Sarah Wintry Fairytale**

**AN: **JAG and its characters (even though JAG itself won't make an appearance) belong to Bellisarius Productions. No monetary gain is made by this endeavor. I'm just borrowing them for my and hopefully other people's entertainment. And credit where credit is due – the basic idea stems from Brothers Grimm, and the story itself from Božena Němcová's movie 'Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel'.

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I wrote this for my friend Leo:

**Dear Leo, Happy Birthday!** This story is for you; I'm sure you know exactly where I'm going with this just by reading the title. I started this before Christmas, when we were talking about the movie, but it took time to finish so I decided you would appreciate it as a birthday present. As presents go, this is a bit unusual, but I hope you will like it nevertheless. Much of the story will be somewhat familiar, but I intended to make it a bit more 'grown-up' and I hope I succeeded. Have a wonderful birthday, may all your dreams come true – you certainly deserve it! Love, Colie

**AN: **Before you start reading, please be aware that this story is really very AU. There's no JAG, no lawyers, no Tomcats, no guns etc… it's basically our two favorite characters plucked in a different time and place.

This is a fairytale, plain and simple. I'm aware many of you might not like this, seeing as how the story has nothing much to do with JAG at all. I won't be offended if you don't. And I won't abandon writing 'normal' JAG stories.  
But I believe that even as grown-ups, we all need a good fairytale from time to time! If I haven't scared you away yet, or if you give me the benefit of the doubt and start reading anyway, I hope you will discover a little story full of wintry magic and sweetness – at least, that was my intent. Let me know what you think, and please enjoy!

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**Three Hazelnuts for Sarah **

_**Chapter 1**_

Leaning her upper body closer to the horse's neck, Sarah sped through the wintry woods. Snowflakes and an icy wind raced past her ears, ruffling her hair and chilling her cheeks. Her fingers that were clutching the old halter started numbing from the cold, but she didn't care. Nothing mattered when she was sitting on her horse Nicolas, flying through the forests that surrounded the manor where she lived. It was the only time when she was all by herself, when she could forget about everything. For just a few moments, the horrors of her daily life faded from her mind and she felt free.

She had escaped all the chaos and excitement that beleaguered the manor today. The royal family was supposed to pass by the estate for dinner, and everybody was in a flurry to perfect supper. Her stepfather, of course, had ulterior motives. He wanted to introduce his daughter to the prince. Prince Harmon, she had heard his name was, was supposedly looking for a wife, and her stepfather was intent on assuring this perfect alliance.

Sarah would have liked to see the pompous royal succession, but of course her stepfather didn't allow it. Ever since her mother had died, she was treated worse than a maidservant. It used to be her parents' estate, but her father had died when Sarah was just a baby. A few years later, her mother had remarried, and Sarah had gained a stepfather and her stepsister Lauren. Her mother had loved both girls equally, and life had been good. But then her mother had died, and everything changed.

Sarah had to sleep in a tiny chamber under the roof of the manor, the draftiest and coldest place in the house. Her stepfather made her do the heaviest work on the estate, and Lauren ordered her around as if she were her personal maid. Lauren always got dresses in the newest fashions, whereas Sarah's scratchy old clothes were always grimy, and her face and hands colored by ash and dirt.

Snow from under the horse's hooves flew off in every direction as Sarah raced on. Her horse Nicolas had been a gift from her mother, and he was the only thing she had left from her. She missed her dearly. Her mother had been amazing, and had taught her things girls generally didn't get to do. Sarah had learned to ride like the wind and she could shoot the crossbow like the best of them.

Normally, Sarah wasn't even allowed to go out and ride on Nicolas, but in all the chaos today, she could get away unnoticed. So even though she wouldn't get to see the royal procession, at least she could ride, which was at least as beautiful.

She stopped cold when she had reached her favorite meadow. A hunter was in the clearing, his crossbows aimed. Sarah swung off Nicolas, her feet sinking almost knee-deep into the snow, and crept closer so as to remain unseen.

The huntsman was dressed in the fanciest hunting uniform she had ever seen. It was Prince Harmon, she was sure of it. The royal blue uniform was a dead giveaway. Shouldn't he be with his parents right now, in the procession? Her stepfather would certainly be annoyed when his matchmaking plans were spoilt by the prince's non-attendance tonight. She led her gaze sweep over him. Strong, muscled arms held up the crossbow; unmoving, he stood deep in concentration. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart suddenly beat faster when she noticed his eyes. They were a greenish-blue, the exact color she had always imagined the ocean she had read about must look like.

The she noticed the object of his aim – a deer. Prince or not, she couldn't fathom the deer being shot. She pondered what she could do without being noticed. She grabbed two handfuls of snow, formed it into a ball and threw it into a tree close to the deer. Snow trickled off the branches, and in an instant, the deer took off and ran out of sight and deeper into the woods. Sarah had to giggle when she noticed the dumbfounded expression on the Prince's face, then quickly made her retreat.

For a few seconds, Harm simply stared at the spot where the deer had just stood. What happened? He knew he hadn't made a movement; he was an excellent hunter and he would have hit the animal for sure. He scanned his surroundings, and a movement caught the corner of his eye. Something, or someone, was rushing through the snow. He shouldered his crossbow and quickly took off in the same direction. Footsteps told him he was following a person, not some animal, and he was determined not to let whoever it was get away. He had gone hunting to clear his mind, get away from his parents, and the interruption angered him. Racing through the trees and over snow drifts, he finally caught up to who had spoilt his hunting pleasure. He didn't expect what he saw though.

He scanned her up and down. She was probably just a maid; her clothes were plain and she was dirty. Even her face was smudged. His anger dissipated as quickly as it had come though when he took her in more closely. Currently, he considered all women a nuisance; they were all silly and he resented the pressure his parents exerted, trying to get him to marry one of these silly creatures. This one, however, was quite beautiful and, judging from her behavior so far, rather feisty.

"My my, it's just a little girl," he mocked when he stood in front of her, and then he grinned.

Inwardly, Sarah was steaming at the word 'little' and even more so at 'girl' – she was a woman after all! Yet she almost forgot her ire when he flashed that heart-stopping smile at her. Only almost though. She was determined to make him believe that he wouldn't get anywhere with her based only on his charms. She decided to brazen it out.

She smiled in return and ever so slowly sauntered closer to him. His grin was still firmly in place, but his eyes were easily readable, and what she could see in them was intrigue. Now that she was nearer though, she lost her momentum. She was considered tall, but he towered above her by more than a head, and her heart beat wildly when she looked up into his astounding eyes. She felt as if he could look right into her soul.

All seemed to turn quiet as they stood facing each other. It was as if a spell had been cast over them. Harm had never experienced anything like what he did looking into her face. Her eyes, big brown pools of warmth. Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink from the cold. Smudges of grey on her forehead and chin. Her hair mussed up and tousled by the wind. Her lips glistening. It was as if he was being pulled closer and closer to her, with no escape. He had never seen this girl before, didn't know her name, hadn't even heard her voice, yet he felt something he couldn't describe, some sort of a connection.

Suddenly, almost all space between them had diminished, their bodies all but touching. Her smile had faltered under his intense gaze. Stunned, she could only watch as he leaned down, his face coming closer, until her eyes drifted shut and she felt his lips on hers. She couldn't believe she let a total stranger kiss her, even if he was the prince. Warm and tender, his lips gently explored hers, and all coherent thought flew right out her head. This was magic, something one only ever read about. She felt his tongue tracing the seams of her lips, and it made her shiver. On their own volition, her lips opened to his intrusion, and she fell into the most intense kiss she had ever experienced.

Never before had kissing felt so right. Passionate. Invigorating. Life altering. Harm's hands wandered up to her face, learning its curves merely by touching. His fingertips traced her cheekbones just as he was exploring the recesses of her mouth, her beautiful, warm, sassy mouth. He let his hands wander down her arms, trying to grasp her hands.

Feeling him stroking down her arms brought some awareness back to her. Reality intruded forcefully. This could only lead to heartache, she suddenly realized. He was the prince, after all. And for all intents and purposes, she was just a maid. She had to stop this. Had to stop kissing him. Had to get away, and quickly. She brought her hands up to his chest and gently pushed, thus breaking the kiss. The expression in his eyes was just as stunned as hers; neither could believe the magic that had just bestowed them.

Even as she lifted her arm, she knew her escape route would be silly and girlish, but she couldn't think of anything smarter to do. She had lost all ability to think clearly. She brought her arm up to his head, and then quickly and forcefully pulled his hat over his eyes. In the stunned silence that followed, she turned, swung herself quickly onto Nicolas' back, and made him gallop as fast as possible, flying through the woods and away from him. Tears were streaming down her face, testament to the emotional turmoil the kiss had sent her into. She had just experienced what life could have in stow if things were different, but since they weren't and would never be different for her, it was a glimpse at a happiness she would never have.

Ripping the hat off his eyes, Harm just saw her hop on her horse and speed away. Dazed, he followed for a few steps in a vain attempt to catch up, until he realized that he couldn't possibly follow and catch her on foot. Unfortunately, his horse was tied up by the clearing he had come from. He stumbled back through the snow. By the time he had finally reached his horse and rode in the direction, the hoof tracks of her horse were almost invisible. The wind had picked up more forcefully, swirling snowflakes around in every direction and obscuring her tracks. When there was nothing more visible on the ground than clean fresh snow, he had to give up. Turning around, he headed back towards the castle, his mind a whirlwind of emotion he couldn't place.

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_TBC_


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN: **For general disclaimers, see chapter one. _

Thanks to everybody who reviewed - your lovely words made me feel a lot better about this story! On with the story we go...

_**Chapter 2**_

Sarah made it back to the estate just in time. Wiping the cold tears off her face, she quickly brought Nicolas to his stable and crept into the house. The King and Queen had been by but had left already. The stepfather had splendidly dined the special guests, sweet-talking them until he and Lauren were rewarded with an invitation to the next ball at the palace. Sarah quickly mingled with the other maids and began cleaning the kitchen, so her absence would go unnoticed. Holding her nose even higher than usual, Lauren sauntered past Sarah.

"I bet you would like to go to the ball too, wouldn't you?" She triumphed, then huddled back with her father, informing him off all the fabric and jewelry she would still need for the ball.

Sarah sighed. Of course she would like to go to the ball. She would give anything to see Harmon again, to dance in his arms. Her lips were still tingling from his touch, and her tummy took a nosedive whenever she thought of their kiss in the woods. Yet it would never happen again. And nobody would ever find out that she knew him, not to mention how _well_ she knew him! She could only tell Rosaly.

After all work was done, she climbed up the stairs to her chamber to talk to her. Rosaly was an owl that sort of lived with her. Since her room had no window panes, the owl could come in and out as she pleased. Whenever she was there, she would sit on Sarah's small treasure basket, and Sarah would tell her all her worries, feeling as if Rosaly understood everything she was told. Sarah seemed to have a very close connection to all animals; they were her only friends.

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The next day, the house was in a tizzy again, this time due to all the preparations necessary for the ball. The stepfather sent their menial Matthew into town to buy silk and velvet, golden threat and sateen. With horse and carriage, Matt went on his way towards town. When he passed by the stream, he saw Sarah huddled on its bank, washing laundry in the ice cold water.

"Sarah, child, shall I also bring you something from the town?" Matt really liked Sarah and always tried to help her in little ways. There wasn't much he could do though, and they both knew it.

"A coronet with pearls, and a long ball gown," she wistfully told him, aware that this wish would never become reality.

"If it were up to me, you could have anything your heart desires," Matthew told her, "but, your stepfather…" He trailed off.

Sarah nodded in understanding. Then a silly little idea passed through her mind.

"Then bring me whatever comes in front of your nose along your way," she smiled at him. Matt nodded and went on his way. Sarah stuck her hands back into the icy water, scrubbing and rinsing the clothes, all the while letting her mind drift to her prince.

When her mother was still alive, she had dreamed of her future. A future with a man who would appreciate her for all that she was, especially her love for such supposedly 'unladylike' things as riding and shooting, and comfortable dresses, lots and lots of them. Prince Harmon seemed to be that kind of man, but she would most likely never see him again, and even if she did, there was no future for them. It wasn't meant to be, not for her.

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At the castle, King Harmon I and Queen Patricia were deep in conversation. The King was insistent that it was time for their son to be married, but he realized that Harm was quite reluctant. In fact, his son did everything he could to evade the topic whenever his parents brought it up. Thus, the Queen had come up with the idea to host a ball, and they were now discussing on whom to invite. They settled on inviting a few princesses from other kingdoms as well as all daughters of the surrounding manors of their kingdom so there'd be large selection of beautiful girls at this ball. They were hoping that among them all, Harm would find someone that struck his fancy. Of course, it would all hinge on his behavior during the ball. Their son was quite stubborn when it came to things he didn't want to do, and marrying was, so far, something he resisted with all his might. It would be just like him to completely sabotage the evening somehow. The woman it would take to tame that son of theirs, the Queen thought with a sigh.

Meanwhile, Harm had once again fled the confines of the castle in favor of the woods. Riding and hunting, that was what he enjoyed most. It was the only time he felt truly free. His parents pressured him more and more often about getting married, and he had the distinct feeling that they were planning _something_ to force the topic. He was resisting the idea before, but since yesterday, since he met _her_, he knew that he couldn't possibly marry anybody else. Nobody would make him feel like she did, and he was quite likely never going to see her again.

He sped through the snow, and before he knew where he was going, he found himself at the same clearing he had met her the day before. But just as expected, there was nobody else around. No footsteps were visible on the fresh blanket of snow, and he was greeted only by a deafening silence. He got off his horse, shouldered his crossbow, and stomped through the trees in search of difficult objects for his shooting practice, like fir cones attached to high up branches.

Suddenly, the small ringing of bells disturbed the quiet, and Harm noticed that he was close to a small forest track along which a sleigh became visible in the distance. When the sleigh was closer, he realized with a chuckle that its driver had actually fallen asleep, his head having dropped onto his chest. Harm aimed his crossbow at a bunch of hazelnuts hanging on a tree, the branches of which overhung the track, and waited. When the sleigh finally passed below those branches, he shot off the dart. The bunch of nuts was cut off from the branch and fell right onto the driver's nose. Harm grinned at his own shooting skills, and watched the startled driver look around in confusion. When the sleigh had driven past, Harm turned and went back in the direction of his horse.

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Matthew was exhausted. He had spent hours first driving to town, then shopping for lots of frilly things of which he understood nothing, and now had to get back to the manor, hopefully before it got dark. The continuous motion of the sleigh and the regular rhythm of the gentle sound of the sleigh bells quickly lulled him into a deep slumber. And why not, he went to town often enough that the horses knew their way back.

He awoke suddenly from a painful blow to his nose. Absentmindedly, he rubbed over the bridge of his nose while he looked around, trying to find out what that could have been. However, a scan of the surrounding woods revealed nothing. He was just about to grab the reins again when he saw it. A twig with three hazelnuts attached to it was lying on the blanket that was draped over his lap. So that was what had awoken him. The nuts must have just broken off the tree and landed on his nose. Nose. He remembered Sarah, and her request to bring her whatever came in front of his nose along the way. Perfect.

When he reached the manor, he brought everything he had bought inside. Sarah was helping to put it all away, so when he thought that they were unobserved, he tried to give her his small gift. But of course her stepfather noticed, and immediately wanted to know what Sarah was given, with Lauren close on his heels. When they saw the twig, however, he snorted.

"Pah," Lauren said dismissively, "it's just a twig with three nuts. A present like for a squirrel!" Then she lost interest and immediately rummaged through the purchases.

"Father, Matthew forgot the golden lace. And there are no necklaces, no earrings!" She whined.

"Don't worry, Sweetheart, I'll just send him again tomorrow."

"But father, we can't let the menial pick out my jewelry. That is just inconceivable. We must go into town; _I_ want to pick it out _myself_!" Lauren nagged. And of course, since Lauren always got what she wanted, it was decided that father and daughter would drive to town tomorrow.

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_TBC_


	3. Chapter 3

_**AN: **For general disclaimers, see chapter one. __**  
**_

Well, so far, this story has the lowest hit count of _anything_ I've ever posted here, lol. But there are some of you who really seem to enjoy the story - thanks for all the wonderful reviews, guys - so for that, here's the next chapter! Please enjoy.

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_**Chapter 3**_

The next day, the two were on their way, and Sarah had a little bit of time for herself. She climbed the stairs to her chamber, where she found Rosaly sitting on the window sill. She walked closer to the owl. The bird tipped its head, and Sarah twirled her finger into its neck and caressed between the feathers.

"Oh Rosaly, how I would love to go riding…" She dug into the pocket of her apron and pulled out the hazelnuts. Absentmindedly, she twirled the twig between her fingers while she gazed out the window onto the wintry landscape, dreaming of piercing blue-green eyes and a heart stopping smile.

"Do you think I'll ever see him again?" She looked at the bird, whose large brown button eyes were riveted on the girl as if she understood her sadness.

Suddenly, one of the hazelnuts broke off the twig and burst open when it dropped onto the floor. Something peaked out between the nutshells where they had cracked open, like a piece of fabric. Curious, Sarah picked up the nut and pulled the shells further apart. Suddenly, she held a whole hunter's costume in her hands, complete with a hat, shoes and a new crossbow. For a moment, she just stared at it all. Where had it all come from, how, why?

"This should all be mine?" She admired the clothes longingly. Rosaly tipped her head at her as if to say, 'who else should it be for?' Excited, Sarah quickly changed into the green hunting uniform and tugged her hair away under the hat. She looked down at herself. The result was amazing. She looked just like a hunter now; it was hardly noticeable that she was a woman underneath. She beamed at Rosaly one last time, and then headed down the stairs and out of the house. At the stable, she saddled Nicolas and sped away into the woods, her heart thumping wildly and her hopes soaring high.

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A large shoot was in the clearing today, as a royal hunt had been set up to select the best marksman. Albert, the royal master hunter, had been teaching Harm and his lieges shooting for a long time. Today, the goal was to be the first hit a bird of prey in flight. The winner would receive the royal hunting medal.

Silence hung over the clearing as everybody was scanning the skies. Finally, a large eagle circled high above them. Harm and his comrades all aimed their crossbows towards the sky. The first shot his crossbow, but missed. Two others followed suit, but were just as unsuccessful. Harm was the last to shoot, but he realized before shooting that the bird was already too high up in the skies to hit him. Wistfully, Harm's eyes followed the circles of the bird while his arm with the crossbow dropped down.

Suddenly, under the eyes of all hunters, the bird dropped from the skies and landed right in front of their feet, the deadly arrow stuck into its chest. Stunned, Harm gazed at his comrades.

"Who shot off that arrow?" He questioned into the round. Everybody just shrugged.

"It was me, forgive me," a voice unexpectedly called out to them. All heads whipped towards the sound to see a young hunter step out from between the trees. Nobody had ever seen him before. Nobody but Harm. The hunter looked familiar to him even from afar, but when he had stepped closer to the group, the breath caught in his throat. He would recognize these facial features anywhere; they were etched forever onto his memory. Her warm, chocolate eyes were scanning everybody but then remained focused only on him. A teasing smile grazed her lush lips and wrinkled her nose. For a few heartbeats, their eyes connected and held. Nobody existed but them, caught in a spell that was just as powerful as when they met first.

It was broken quickly by Albert approaching the young hunter. She had everybody fooled; nobody would figure that they were dealing with a woman, nobody but him.

"I'll say the best marksman has shown his mastery," Albert announced. He handed the royal hunting medal to Harm. "Would you care to do the honors, Prince?"

Harmon tried to cover his flustered expression and took the medal from Albert. Realizing that he was heading into dangerous grounds, he stepped closer to her. Under no circumstances did he want her secret revealed, he felt as if she was there only for him, and he wanted to keep it that way. He stopped in front of her in a way that would put him between her and his comrades, thus obscuring their view on her.

"Congratulations," he announced loud enough for everybody to hear. Then he took the medal and carefully pinned it onto the left side of her chest. Secure in the knowledge that nobody could see, he did it slowly, dragging out the moment, while his eyes connected to hers.

Sarah forgot how to breathe. The small space between them was laden with tension and heat. In her daze, she wondered why the snow didn't melt under their feet. His eyes held hers captive while she felt his fingertips lingering on the medal attached just above her breast. Her head started spinning and goose bumps broke out over her skin that had nothing to do with the cold air that whipped around them. Her labored breathing made her chest heave under his hand. Then she felt his tender touch slide south. Slowly, with purpose, his fingertips stroked downwards, right next to the tip of her left breast, lingered a fraction of a moment, and then continued on its way down the slope of her breast, past her ribcage and to her waist. Then his burning touch was all but a memory when his hand fell away from her.

"Why don't you show us more of your mastery," Albert requested happily, as oblivious to what had happened between the two as Harm had intended. His fingers tingled and his heart was still racing. He couldn't believe what he had just done, but the need to touch her had been so strong, so overpowering, that he couldn't stop his actions. Something exuded from her that he had no ability to escape. An energy, a force, a pull… he didn't know what it was but it felt like magic. And he still didn't know who she was.

"Yes," Harm cleared his throat while he put a safer distance between them. His thoughts were all scrambled but he knew he had to get a grip and act normally, for both their sakes. He ripped his eyes away from her and scanned his surroundings. When he found a goal, he pointed upwards high into a tree.

"The cone, up there on that fir, can you hit it?" He challenged her. It was so high up that he didn't think she would make that shot; he honestly wasn't sure anybody would be able to do it. His competitive streak wasn't turned off that easily.

Sarah hadn't quite recovered. Her skin still felt like it was burning from the trail of fire that his fingers had stroked down her body and branded her as his for life. His touch had been quite inappropriate, and yet she wouldn't have wanted to miss it for the world. But now that the moment had passed, reality was back, and she knew she had to safeguard her heart, and quickly. Mentally, she shook away the daze from her mind and took a deep breath. Slipping back into the role she had created for herself, she forced the teasing smile back onto her face.

"Sure, nothing easier than that. Every girl could make that shot!" She mocked, and covertly lifted a teasing eyebrow at the Prince at the double entendre only he would get. She aimed her crossbow and concentrated. At this moment she was glad she had the ability to fully focus on a task and shut out any other distractions if she had to, otherwise she never would have been able to make that shot. But she had to make it, had to prove her worth to all the hunters, but especially to him. She took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger.

All heads whipped in the direction the arrow had gone. Pierced by it right through the middle, the fir cone dropped into the snow. There was a second of stunned silence, and then everybody scrambled towards the cone. Harm picked it up and admired her skills. The heads of his comrades surrounded him, gaping at the forced union of cone and arrow. Finally, Harm turned around to praise her skills, only to find her gone. Just her footsteps remained in the glistening snow. He cursed the fact that he was with the shooting party, which banned him from going after her. She was lost to him once more, and he still didn't even know her name.

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_TBC_


	4. Chapter 4

_**AN: **_For general disclaimers, see chapter one.

_Many thanks to all your wonderful reviews - I'm really glad you guys enjoy this story! Onwards we go... please enjoy!__**  
**_

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_**Chapter 4**_

The next day was the day of the ball. Fabrics had been sown into beautiful clothes, and Lauren had spent all day dressing, fussing, parading around, while her father and the servants catered to her every wish. Of course, Lauren preferred having Sarah as her personal slave, gloating with the fact that her stepsister would not be allowed to attend the ball while she herself was sure to come back with a ring on her finger and an offer of marriage. "Sarah, hand me the buttons!" "Where is my necklace?" Bring this and that; on and on it went until finally, Lauren deemed herself perfect and it was time to leave soon.

"Don't you want to come along?" Lauren asked her sardonically.

"I know I'm not allowed to," Sarah dismissed her. More to herself than anybody, she added under her breath, "Maybe I could just look through the window…" All she wanted was to see him again; to catch a glimpse of how he would look in formal attire, dancing… To say goodbye, really, to this dream buried deep in her heart of there ever being a chance for them. Unfortunately, her stepfather had heard her whispers.

"And who will clean here? Do the laundry?" He gestured over the chaos in the room. "Everything has to be finished by tomorrow! If you don't have enough work, then here you go…" From the shelf he took down a bowl of lentils, and a second one of corn, and in front of her eyes, he dumped out both bowls on the floor in front of the fireplace. With the tip of his shoe, he swirled through the dried grains until they were thoroughly mixed together in one big brown-yellowish heap.

"Pick those apart again!" Were his final words before he turned and left.

"And _I_," Lauren added, reaping up her skirt and her long train with exaggerated thoroughness, "will tell you tomorrow exactly how often I danced with the Prince!" Then she left too, leaving behind a heartbreakingly sad Sarah kneeling in front of the fireplace. Not that this exercise of needless and particularly cruel work was anything new to her.

"This'll probably take me a week…" She sighed, and began sorting the grains into the two separate bowls. Reap up a handful; pick out all the corn as the grains were slightly bigger. Corn into one bowl, lentils into the other. Next handful. Suddenly she heard sounds at the window. Very faint at first, then picking up in intensity. Tak tak tak, as if someone was tapping on the window panes with fingernails. Sarah turned around to see the whole windowsill filled with doves. With their beaks, they were tapping staccato sounds on the window as if demanding to be let in. She stood up and opened the window, and in a flurry of white feathers they swooped past her and landed on the ground around the heap of grains. She watched in awe as the birds began picking up grains and dropping them in the different bowls. There wasn't even any space left on the floor for her to help them. A luminous smile broke over her face as she realized the chance she was given.

"Thank you, my dear doves," she announced, heartfelt, and then she turned around and hurried up the stairs, to her little chamber and Rosaly. Sure enough, the owl was waiting for her, the twig of hazelnuts, which now only held two, securely gripped in her beak.

"So I should open the second magic hazelnut?" Sarah asked Rosaly, to which the bird dipped her head in assent.

So Sarah broke off one of the nuts, closed her eyes, took a deep breath of hope, and dropped the nut on the floor. When she opened her eyes, she wasn't sure if she was dreaming. Before her lay the most beautiful ball gown she had ever seen. A soft pink, laced with silvery threads, with a long train. She carefully reached out and touched her fingers to the fabric. It wasn't a dream; it didn't vanish with the touch, it was still laying there on the ground. Her heart racing, she undressed, then put on the gown. It fit her like a second skin, as if it were made only for her. The bodice was hugging her chest and waist tightly, while the skirt flailed out widely, all the way down to her feet. There were even shoes to go with it, small pink slippers laced with the same silvery sparkle, and a hair coronet with a veil. She put up her hair, then twirled around to Rosaly's approval. Then she hurried outside, only to find that her horse Nicholas was already saddled and waiting for her. With a happiness she hadn't felt in a long time, she swung on his back and they took off, speeding through the crunchy snow towards the castle and her prince.

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Inside the castle, the ball was about to begin. Princesses and daughters had arrived in abundance, all dressed in gorgeous gowns, adorned with gold and pearls, one more fanciful than the other in their desperate attempts to win the prince over for themselves. One quick scan over the crowds, however, told Harm that the one he was looking for, the only face he longed to see in this multitude of beauty, was not among them. His head told him he shouldn't really have expected her, yet his heart had held onto this shred of hope that maybe; just maybe, he'd get the chance to see her once more. He visibly deflated and murmured in his father's ear:

"Can't we just postpone the marriage, if only for a year? Please father…" Yet it was to no avail. Standing upright feigning interest, he had to watch the procession of women being presented to him by name. He knew then that he couldn't possibly marry any of them. A few days earlier, he would have excused himself by claiming that he feared the commitment; a lifetime to be spent with only one person. But it no longer held true. Now he knew that it all hinged on her. No other woman would do.

And yet his duty was to dance now. He would refuse to marry one of them, but in obligation to his parents and his position, he would at least dance. Taking a deep breath of resolve, he stepped onto the dance floor and into the circle formed by the women. He didn't know whom to choose, so he just walked ahead, eyes almost closed, and stretched out his hand…

The spinning sensation was slowly getting to him. Round and round he danced, twirling one girl after another in large loops over the dance floor. Their faces were starting to merge into one, no longer distinguishable. Sure, many were quite beautiful, but none could hold a candle to his mystery woman from the woods. Not to mention all they did was smile up at him adoringly, or sometimes even seductively. So far, no girl that he had danced with had attempted to even speak to him, apart from a few gushed-out sentences about how honored they considered themselves to be allowed to dance with him. How did they ever believe they could interest him in them by behaving like that? Did they really think all that mattered to him was a pretty face?

-- -- -- -- -- --

Attired in her beautiful dress, and wrapped in a large cape that came with the dress to ward off the cold, Sarah sped through the moonlit night. The wintry air tinged her cheeks a lovely pink while Nicholas' hooves crunched a fast rhythm through the iced-over snow drifts. Soon she could make out the castle in the distance. Warm, inviting light twinkled out through its high windows, beckoning her to come seek her destiny. She crossed the large stone bridge and cantered through the royal gardens, finally arriving at the foot of the wide outer stair case leading up to the entrance.

Leaving her horse there, she hurried up the stairs and peeked through one of the windows into the ballroom. Scanning over the large crowd of beautifully dressed people, and seeing the King and Queen on the throne, her courage was wilting slightly. But then she saw him, and her tummy did an immediate nosedive at the sight of the tall prince moving gracefully in tact with the music. His head towered above all others, but she couldn't make out who he was dancing with. For a while she watched heads twirl and bop up and down until for just a moment, the crowd opened up. She gasped when she realized that Prince Harmon was dancing with Lauren, her sister. She knew she shouldn't be hurt by this; he had no way to know she was there, nor was she supposed to be there, yet it still stung. Lauren of all people. It was silly of her, really. She should better go.

She whipped around and raced back down the stairs, grabbing Nicholas by his reigns. But the horse violently shook his head, making her lose her grip. She looked up at him, gazed into his knowing eyes, and understood. For emphasis he nudged into her side with his head until she finally made her way back up the stone stairs.

At the entrance, she took a deep breath, then took off her cape and pulled the translucent veil over her face, leaving only her eyes uncovered. She walked through the large doorway and past the guards positioned on all doors. Unbeknownst to her, their eyes and heads, normally trained to look only straight ahead, followed her every step, admiring the subconscious gracefulness radiating off this late arrival.

She entered the ballroom, and, noticing her, ladies started whispering, gents looked surprised, servants winked at each other. Intuitively, the crowds on the dance floor parted, giving passage to this beautiful stranger. Even the musicians forgot to play their instruments, leaving the large room in a sudden expectant silence. Sarah moved forward, completely unaware of her surroundings and the stunned reactions of the guests, her only focus the tall prince.

Harm had been sinking deeper and deeper into his thoughts. He twirled around yet another girl, but his heart and his head were somewhere else entirely. He felt dizzy, as if the room was closing in on him. He couldn't do this anymore; he had done his duty as the guest of honor… he really needed to get out of there, and quickly. Fresh air, yes he needed some fresh air. In his daze, he hadn't noticed that the crowds had stopped dancing around him, that the music had stopped playing, that all that could be heard in the ballroom were whispered sounds of hushed comments and the rustling of clothes. Wordlessly, he left a stunned Lauren standing by herself in the middle of the dance floor while he turned and headed away towards the balcony. Not paying attention to where he was walking, he bumped into someone. His eyes flew up – and connected with hers.

-- -- -- -- -- --

_TBC  
_


	5. Chapter 5

_**AN: **_For general disclaimers, see chapter one.

Me thinks you guys liked that little cliffhanger, yes? ;-) Lol, nice person that I am, here's how it all goes on. Thanks for all your wonderful, sweet and funny reviews; they sure make my days! Please enjoy.

-- -- -- -- -- --

_**Chapter 5**_

Time stood still as ocean-blue eyes melted into large brown pools of warmth. Even though most of her face was covered, he recognized her immediately, her beautiful eyes unmistakable as they gazed up at him. The crowd around them stood in collective silence as Harm and Sarah held a silent conversation only they could understand. His heart hammered in his chest; her body so close to his that he could feel the rustling of her dress. On its own volition, his arm came up, hand stretched out to her in wordless invitation. She laid her hand in his and he intertwined their fingers, while his other arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer. Her eyes never leaving his, she rested her other hand on his shoulder and they began their dance.

Forgotten was his dislike for dancing, forgotten was everybody around him as his feet found the perfect rhythm for her to follow, as if they had danced together a hundred times before. Finally the musicians awoke from their trance-like state and one instrument after the other joined in to form the music to accompany the couple twirling in large circles through the room.

Sarah found it hard to breathe as his close proximity enveloped her in a world of perfection. Tummy fluttering wildly, fingers tingling where they were intertwined with his, skin aflame where his arm lay across her back and his hand held her close, she led him guide her through the fluid motions of their dance. Their bodies were as close together as they could be without actually touching; what little space there was left between them sparkling with electricity, pulling them closer and closer together, inexorable, inescapable.

As stunned as the rest of the guests, the King observed his son dancing with the unknown beauty. "Who is this princess? Why don't I know about her?" He turned towards his wife, only to notice that she was gazing ahead with a dreamy expression and a half smile.

"Don't worry, my love," she whispered, "I think we have achieved our goal for this ball. It's about time." She took his hand in hers while they watched the couple circle the dance floor, oblivious to anybody but the other. Round and round they went until suddenly they were at the doors to the balcony and Harm pulled her outside.

The chilly evening air whipped around them, cooling their overheated cheeks and turning their erratic breaths into little gusts of steam. Gazing at each other, Harm gently removed the veil from her face, taking in her flushed cheeks, her cute nose, her rosy kissable lips.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, pulling her closer, and then their lips met in one fluid motion. He kissed her slowly, thoroughly, exploring her heart and soul. This time Sarah couldn't hold back, couldn't escape the rightness of his kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, and immediately their embrace turned passionate, vigorous, life-altering. She was positively sinking into him, her body brushing his while he gripped her tighter around the waist. She was tingling all over. Her heart lay open, his for the taking, and he claimed it immediately.

When they finally pulled apart, they were both out of breath, so he held her close while she rested her head on his shoulder, burrowing her nose into his neck.

At that moment, Harm made his decision. Or maybe he had already made it when she suddenly appeared across from him, or maybe it had even been that very first time they met in the woods. She was the one. He would never feel about anyone else the way that he felt about her. He ran his hand up her back, and she looked up at him. Tenderly he took her chin in his hand.

"Won't you tell me who you are?" He implored. And with that, the doubts invaded Sarah's mind once more. Who _was_ she, anyways? She had created this dream around herself, and now it all came tumbling down on her.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I've just chosen my bride-to-be and I don't know who she is. I've fallen in love with her and want to get married!" Stunned, her eyes snapped up to his, and the look in his eyes, so full of warmth and hope and love, almost made her knees buckle. Then a smile stole onto her face as she registered what exactly he had said.

"I believe you forgot something." She answered quizzically. "Shouldn't you be asking the bride first whether she wants you?"

His hands slowly trailed down her arms, one on each side, until he reached her hands and entwined his fingers with hers.

"Will you marry me?" He asked, his voice strong and clear with conviction.

Yes, her heart was screaming, yes I want to marry you! But at the same time, the reality of her life, the differences between both their lives, rushed through her with an unstoppable force. She couldn't, not now. He had to understand first. If he found her again, then it was meant to be. Standing there with the love of her life, his warmth coursing from his hands all the way through her body and into her belly, and looking at his handsome face, Sarah made the hardest decision of her life.

"Before I can answer, you'll have to riddle me this:

The cheeks sullied with ashes, yet it is not the chimney sweeper.  
A green hunting dress, a crossbow over the shoulder, yet it is not a huntsman.  
A pink and silvery dress with a train to flow, yet it is not a princess."

Harm was floored by her question. Their connection, from the first meeting in the woods till tonight, had felt so real, like magic, that he was sure she felt the same way. So why hadn't she said yes? Why didn't she tell him her name? No words left, he just stared at her, trying to sort through the upheaval of thoughts in his head. He couldn't figure it out – what was she trying to tell him?

"I'm sorry, as long as you don't have the answer to the riddle, I can't stay." And she pulled her hands from his, turned, and rushed away. Ran through the doors of the balcony into the ballroom, where the crowds parted for her once more. Passed through the room oblivious to the whispers following her flight, past the guards who once more turned their heads after her retreating form. Only when she was out the main entrance and alone did she allow her tears to flow freely. Hardly seeing, she rushed down the large stone staircase. Halfway through she stumbled, could hardly catch herself from falling. Her ankle bent in an awkward angle and her shoe slipped off. She thought of picking it up, but distantly heard the commotion inside the ballroom, and for fear of being followed, she just left the shoe lying there while she hopped down the rest of the stairs and swung onto Nicholas' back. She spurred him on and he took off, racing through the cold moonlit night, back towards the misery that was her life.

It only took Harm a couple of stunned seconds to react, and then he chased behind her, out of the castle and down the stone stairs. He almost tripped over something and realized it was a silvery and pink shoe – _her_ shoe. He looked up and saw her disappearing in the distance, her cape billowing behind her as she was carried away on her horse. Quickly, he pocketed the shoe and ran to the stable to get his own horse. Luckily, the night was clear and dry. The lingering cold had turned the snow cover into a crunchy blanket, and with the help of the bright light of the full moon, he could easily follow the hoof prints. This time, he wouldn't let her get away.

Sarah had hardly gotten back to the manor herself when the prince arrived at the gates, demanding entrance. After having been let into the courtyard, he addressed the menial staff that had gathered together to encircle the unexpected guest.

"I'm looking for the princess, where is she?" But the menials just shook their heads.

"I know she must be here," he demanded more forceful, "I saw her enter this courtyard!" By now there's quite a commotion and Harm found himself being laughed at by the staff for the ridiculousness of the assumption that there might be a princess among them. Yet he wasn't to be deterred this time.

"I want to see everybody living in and around this manor," he declared commandingly, "everybody!" More and more people assembled around him, and the prince went around scrutinizing every girl and woman that was presented to him. Yet it was to no avail, she wasn't among them.

"Is there no other girl living here?" Harm questioned, his voice taking on a desperate tone. The menials shook their heads.

"Yes," a young scullion suddenly spoke up, "there's Sarah."

His heart lurched. _Sarah_. It sounded right, the way it rolled off his tongue. It had to be her, he had never been surer of anything. Sarah.

"Where is Sarah, I need to see her!"

Unfortunately, it was at that very moment that Sarah's stepfather and Lauren arrived back at the manor. Her stepfather heard the prince's plea to see Sarah, and suddenly everything fell into place. He knew that mystery girl at the ball had looked familiar! Realizing that all his plans for his daughter were almost for naught, he grabbed Lauren's hand and pulled her out off the carriage, a plan already formulating in his head. They snuck past the prince behind his back and into the main house, searching for Sarah. And they found her in her chamber, still dressed in her ball gown.

-- -- -- -- -- --

_TBC_


	6. Chapter 6

_**AN: **For general disclaimers, see chapter one._

Well, guys, this is the end - the final chapter! As every fairytale, it has to end at some point! Thanks to everybody who sent (a) review(s) - for your wonderful enthusiam! And I hope everybody who read but didn't review enjoyed the story as well! It sure was fun writing it! _**  
**_

-- -- -- -- -- --

_**Chapter 6**_

"Here she is, Prince Harmon," a man addressed him, pulling with him a woman that was wearing the silvery sparkling gown and was draped head to toe in her, _Sarah's_, cape. "This is who you were looking for."

Hope surged through him until he came closer and noticed that he couldn't see her face as it was covered almost completely by the hood of the cape drawn over her head.

"Let me see her then," Harm demanded, confused by the behavior of the usually so feisty woman he had come to know and love.

"No no, she's too shy," her father waved him aside. "You can see her once you've given her the engagement ring!" Hearing her being referred to as too shy only confirmed his suspicions, and he didn't know anymore how to proceed. And then it occurred to him that he still had her shoe, this tiny and narrow affair of footwear that surely could fit nobody else but her.

"She must try on this shoe then," Harm insisted, approaching the father.

"Why should she do that, don't you see that this is the right girl?" The man spat out, and ripped the shoe out off Harm's hold. Then he dragged the girl with him towards their sleigh, hauled her in, followed behind, and then sped off through the gates and into the woods at a breakneck speed.

Just as quickly, Harm swung himself on his horse and raced after the sleigh. He was sure this couldn't have been _her_, but this girl wore _her_ dress, so if she wasn't _her_, then she must know where to find _her_, how else could she have gotten hold of _her_ dress?

On the sleigh, Lauren was getting nauseous and scared as her father steered the sleigh over the bumpy forest tracks, making it swerve ominously at every slight bent.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," he reassured her confidently, "we'll get the Prince to do what we want!" He cracked the whip once more, and the horses sped up, dragging the sleigh over bumps and ice. The track turned narrower and bumpier as they went on. When they were passing by the stream, the sleigh suddenly skidded on a large patch of ice, swerved off the path and tipped over, unceremoniously dumping its cargo right in the middle of the icy stream.

Harm was only a few moments behind them, and quickly swung off his horse. Approaching the stream, he held out a hand to a spitting and coughing Lauren to help her out of the water. She gripped his hand and he pulled her up to a standing position, when he got his first look on her face. He had known deep down that this wasn't the right girl, but he vaguely recognized her as one of the women he had danced with, and that she was now wearing the wrong dress trying to deceive him into a marriage proposal made him really angry. He wanted answers now, so he dragged her out onto the dry ground and in the process, also managed to snatch the stolen shoe out of her grasp.

He was about to fire questions at her when he noticed something flying close over his head. He looked up, surprised to see an owl drawing round circles through the air above him. One circle, then another, as if to make sure it had his full attention. Then it cooed once and headed in the direction he had just come from, back towards the manor. Ignoring the deceitful father-daughter set, he swung back on his horse and followed the owl, sensing that there was some sort of significance to this bird seeking him out.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Meanwhile at the manor, Matthew had gone in search of Sarah. He had observed the arrival of the prince, his desperate search to find Sarah, and Sarah's stepfather approaching the prince with someone that looked suspiciously like Lauren. This was his chance to finally do something nice for Sarah, he thought, this wonderful girl deserved all the happiness in the world, so he combed every room, worried that something might have happened.

He found her upstairs locked in one of the tiny chambers at the far end of the house, wrapped in a blanket.

"She took my dress!" was the first thing that came flying out of Sarah's mouth when Matthew unlocked the door, her anger and indignation evident in her voice and stance.

"I know," Matthew answered simply, then winked at her. "Go get him, 'princess'!" At that, a wide smile broke over her face that managed to light up Matthew's whole world. May all her dreams come true, he thought as she raced past him, down the corridor and into her drafty chamber.

Just as she ran through the door, Rosaly flew in through the window and landed on the wicker basket she usually preferred to sit on. She cooed once, twice, and Sarah understood. It was time for the last magic hazelnut.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Harm arrived back in the courtyard, but scanning over the people scattered around, she was still nowhere to be found. Did he misread the owl after all? Was he on a fool's errand? By now dawn was breaking and he still hadn't found her. Feeling defeated, he was about to give up, when the distinct clanging sound of horseshoes on cobblestone made him turn around. And what he saw took his breath away.

From around the corner of the main house trotted a horse, and on its back sat the most beautiful bride he had ever seen, _his _bride. In a side-saddle this time, she sat straight and graceful, while her legs dangled down one side of the horse, draped in never-ending billows of satiny, glistening white fabric. She smiled, and his heart sped up.

"Sarah," he whispered in awe, walking closer to her on shaky legs, and her smile widened in delight. He had figured it out. She noticed he was holding a shoe in his hand, _her_ shoe, the one she had lost. Now she understood why the wedding dress that had appeared from the third nut didn't come with a pair of shoes.

"I see you're returning my shoe," she stated softly, and held out her foot. He slid the shoe onto her foot, and her skin tingled from the brief contact. He looked up at her while she gazed down, their eyes melting into each other.

"So you found my shoe, and you found me. I think you should have the royal medal for the best hunter," she told him, and pinned the medal onto his shirt. Then she rested her hands on his chest, reveling in the feel of his strong muscles heaving and sinking in a rapid rhythm.

"Alright," she winked at him, accentuating her words with little taps of her index finger on his collar bone, "have you figured out my riddle?"

"The answer to your riddle is: Sarah." He announced.

"You are Sarah, and the girl with the sullied cheeks that had it so hard in her life, the amazing hunter in the woods, and the beautiful princess on the ball, they are all part of you. They make you who you are – the most incredible woman I have ever met."

With a blissful sigh, she twirled her fingers through the hair at the back of his head and pulled him close to give him a soft, loving kiss. "Thank you Harm," she whispered, caressing his cheeks with her thumbs, "I love you."

At her declaration, the most beautiful smile she had ever seen broke over his face, dazzling her with its intensity. He grabbed her by the waist, lifted her off the horse and held her up in the air, laughing and twirling her round and round until she dissolved in laughter.

The words they had spoken had been so hushed that nobody around them knew what had been said. Yet everybody understood this display of pure happiness right away, and the menials broke out in jubilations:

"Three cheers for our Sarah!"

Harm brought her back to the ground and pulled her close to him. "And _my_ Sarah, too…" He told her seriously, "if you'll have me." Smiling, Sarah merely nodded and took his hand, tugging him towards her horse. She climbed on, and Harm slid behind her, gliding an arm around her waist to hold her tightly. She twisted around to look up at him, love and happiness radiating from her face and eyes. He kissed her then, with love and longing and passion and everything in between. Resting his forehead against hers, he murmured,

"Let's get married."

So they rode off on Nicholas, over snow-covered fields glistening and sparkling in the early-morning sunlight, towards their brand-new life together.

And they lived happily ever after.

_THE END _

OR, as it would be stated in German, _"And if they haven't died, they'll continue to live until today!"_ Quite fitting, don't you think, being as how it is Harm and Sarah! And with that, I'll give you an:

**Epilogue** (surprised even myself when I wrote it)… With a bridge to JAG (surprised me even more)… **Tomorrow**! (That is, if you guys want it!)


	7. Epilogue

_**AN:** For general disclaimers, see chapter one. _

As promised, here's the epilogue to our fairytale. As I've stated at the end of the last chapter, a fairytale in German would end with the words: _"And if they haven't died, they'll continue to live until today!" _ With that in mind, here's a little piece somewhat linking the story to JAG. I hope you will like it!

-- -- -- -- -- --

_**Epilogue **_

"…And they lived happily ever after. The End." Harm read, then closed the book.

"Oh Harm, that was a wonderful story." Mac sighed, cuddling closer to him. Outside, a winter storm was howling fiercely, whirling snowflakes through the air in crazy, haphazard patterns. She couldn't have cared less about the weather though; she wasn't planning on going outside anytime soon. A fire was crackling in the fireplace, basking the living room in warm orange hues, casting flickering shadows over the walls. They lay intertwined on their couch, wrapped in a blanket and around each other. He handed her her cup of hot chocolate and she sighed blissfully as the hot flavorful liquid tickled her taste buds and lazily ran down her throat.

This was one of their new-found traditions, a 'story hour'. He had started it when she was sick one time, and while she had thought it to be a silly idea, as soon as he actually began reading to her, she was lost. His melodious voice carried her over into whatever world was created by the author, making her laugh, live, or suffer through the trials and tribulations of the characters. Soon she had realized that it was yet another little thing that had been missing from her childhood, and that he recreated for her to replace sorrowful memories with a wad of happy ones. She loved it, and she fell even more in love with him for it. So on Sundays they would cozy up their place with a fire and candles scattered around, pick a book and read. Fairytales, however, weren't their usual lore.

"So where did you get this book?" She asked, turning to look up at him, "I don't think I ever heard of it before."

"Sergei sent it to us from the Czech Republic." A while ago, Sergei had found a job as a helicopter pilot for a Czech company, so he and his wife had moved to Prague.

"He wrote that this story is very popular there, as well as in several other countries, apparently. It was made into a movie in the 70ies that is still being shown over and over again, and one could hardly find a person, actually a woman is what he said, that doesn't know this movie. He couldn't find a DVD with an English version on it, but when he stumbled onto the book, he thought we should have it. He said he hopes baby will like it. So, did baby like it?"

"Mmhh mmhh," Mac mumbled, "baby loved it, actually." For emphasis, she laid his hand on her protruding belly so he could feel the little kicks of their child along with her. She closed her eyes and reveled in the feelings the two people she loved most in the world could create in her, one from the inside and the other simply by touching her, the warmth of his large hand seeping through her sweater and into her skin.

"Harm?" she whispered wistfully, deep in thought, "do you believe in destiny? That there are people who are just meant to be together; traveling through time destined to find each other over and over again? You know, like that prince and princess?" Then she realized how silly she must have sounded, and grinned at him self-consciously. "That must have sounded like such a little girl thing to ask," she added contritely.

"I don't think so, actually." He swiped a stray strand of hair behind her ear and cradled her cheek. "I mean, I never used to believe in destiny and all that, but then you came along, and look how our story turned out. For years we didn't get it, but whatever we did, fate always found a way to throw us back on the right path. And now I have you, and we have our four percent miracle, and if that isn't 'meant to be', then I don't know what would."

God, what that man could do to her by simply stringing a few words together. A tear rolled down her cheek at the beauty of his emotions, and he wiped it away with his thumb. She scooted up closer to him, which was becoming increasingly difficult as her big belly hindered her maneuvering on the narrow couch, and kissed him passionately. Sparks were flying, as they did every time their lips, hearts, bodies, souls connected.

Then she scooted back down and settled back into his embrace, with her back on his chest and her hips cradled between his legs. She felt both his hands sneak under the hem of her sweater and come to rest on the underside of her belly, as if he wanted to help carry the weight. She closed her eyes, secure in the feeling that this was exactly what they'd be doing for the rest of their lives – help carry each other.

And very soon there would be three of them. Since this was quite likely their only biological child, they had fought the curiosity and decided not to find out about the sex, so for the time being, they were waiting for 'baby'. She couldn't wait to meet baby, to find out if baby had his looks or hers, his brains or hers, or whatever combination they had created. She never would have believed that so much happiness was even possible.

She turned her head, snuggled it into his neck, placing a few tiny kisses on his skin and tickling him with the tip of her nose until she could feel, more than see, the wide satisfied smile on his face.

"I love you, Prince Harmon," she giggled, and felt the vibrations of his rumbling laugh all the way through her body. Then he looked down at her and she felt like she was melting.

"And I love you, my Princess."

Outside, the wind had calmed down, but thick snowflakes fell relentlessly, blanketing the world in white silence. Inside, two people were slowly drifting off to sleep, wrapped in the warmth and love of the other. Two people, destined to be together, no matter what time or place.

_THE END (for real, this time)_

_  
**AN:** Additional notes regarding the fairytale:_

_This story is based on the Czech version of Cinderella, written by Božena Němcová, and is called "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel" (Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella) – I don't know what it would be in Czech though. In 1974, it was made into a movie, which is an East-German/Czech co-production (GDR-CSSR at the time). I don't know how famous or well-known it is in the Czech Republic, or in other countries – except for Germany! Here it has turned into one of the most popular Christmas movies, and will be shown numerous times on different channels every year in the weeks before Christmas. The idea to turn it into a Harm-and-Sarah-tale was born when I saw the movie again and realized what a feisty, 'kick-ass' Cinderella this movie portrays. I did, however, take some creative license in rewriting it, changing a few aspects of the storyline to turn it into a more grown-up fairytale. _

_My thanks go out to everybody who sent encouragement along the way, be it via reviews or emails, and all your continuous enthusiasm for this little tale. I hope it brought some magic into your lives! _


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